Dad Boss: Your First Job, Finding a Mentor, and Building a Life That Matters | with Abby Neilson

Dad Boss: Your First Job, Finding a Mentor, and Building a Life That Matters | with Abby Neilson

WHAT IF THE BEST CAREER ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED CAME FROM SOMEONE WHO CARED ABOUT MORE THAN YOUR RÉSUMÉ? Welcome to the first episode of Boss Dad, a new series on The Jason Wright Show where I sit down with young professionals for honest conversations about careers, relationships, ambition, integrity, faith, failure, and figuring out adulthood. My first guest is my former employee and current mentee, Abby Neilson. About a year ago, Abby was a recent college graduate struggling to land her first real job. A phone call that was originally supposed to help her make a few connections unexpectedly turned into a job offer—and eventually into a mentorship and friendship that neither of us anticipated. Abby jokingly calls herself the “personality hire.” But what I saw was something every young professional should understand: you don’t have to know everything when you start. You have to be willing to learn, work hard, accept coaching, and grow. In this first episode, recorded over coffee at our unofficial “satellite office” in Highland Park Village, Abby and I talk about what the first year of a career can teach you—and why the right mentor can change the trajectory of your life. We discuss the pressure young professionals feel to immediately land the perfect job, make six figures, have a prestigious title, and know exactly what they want to do with their lives. The truth is, most people don’t have it all figured out at 22. Your first job isn’t your final identity. It may simply be graduate school that pays you. We also talk about one principle I have tried to instill in Abby from the beginning: Never compromise your integrity. You can recover from a bad decision. You can lose a sale. You can take the wrong job. You can change careers. You can fail and start again. But no job, title, paycheck, opportunity, or relationship is worth becoming someone you don’t respect. In this episode, we also explore: * Why your willingness to learn may matter more than what you already know * How to choose a boss or mentor who is invested in your future * Why your first job should be viewed as paid graduate school * The difference between having a job and abandoning your dream * How to pursue a passion project while still paying the bills * Why you should ask successful people for advice, not favors * How to approach potential mentors without asking to “pick their brain” * Why rejection is often redirection—and sometimes protection * The importance of building a network before you desperately need one * Why young professionals should stop being afraid to send the email, make the call, or ask for the meeting * How faith, family, purpose, and service can redefine what success actually means Abby also shares how her definition of success has changed over the past year. What once looked like a title or a certain income now looks more like purpose, faith, meaningful work, relationships, and service. That evolution is exactly why I wanted to create Boss Dad. I’m 51 years old. I’ve been an entrepreneur. I’ve worked in corporate America. I’ve hired people, fired people, started businesses, made good decisions, and made plenty of bad ones. I was also once the entitled young professional who thought he deserved the title before he had earned the experience. I can’t go back and change those mistakes. But maybe I can help someone else avoid a few of them. Boss Dad is a place for young professionals to ask the questions they may not know who else to ask. Career questions. Leadership questions. Networking questions. Dating questions. Money questions. Questions about ambition, faith, failure, and the uncomfortable transition from being a student to becoming an adult. Sometimes you need a boss. Sometimes you need a mentor. And sometimes you need a Boss Dad. If you’re a young professional with a question—or you want to join us for a future conversation—we want to hear from you. And if you’re a parent, leader, executive, or mentor, share this episode with a young person who might need to hear it. This is just the beginning. Welcome to Boss Dad.

Go Lay Your Bricks: Staying Busy and Creating to Fight Anxiety and Depression

Go Lay Your Bricks: Staying Busy and Creating to Fight Anxiety and Depression Jason Wright, host of The Jason Wright Show and The Healthy CEO, shares that staying busy and creating something can help fight anxiety and depression. He references Winston Churchill’s lifelong struggle with depression, which Churchill called the “black dog,” and explains how Churchill coped by keeping occupied through painting and even laying bricks to engage his hands and mind. Wright relates this to his own experience of getting into funks and says creative projects like making a podcast or short video help him avoid doom scrolling, overeating from anxiety, and ruminating alone. While noting the value of being comfortable with boredom, he warns against prolonged negative rumination and encourages changing one’s state through movement or activity. He urges listeners to find their own “bricks” to lay and to seek help if needed. 00:00 Welcome and Shows 00:16 Stay Busy Create 00:37 Churchill Black Dog 01:28 My Creative Routine 02:06 Avoid Rumination 02:36 Change Your State 02:46 Lay Your Bricks 03:11 Creative Work Examples 03:44 Wrap Up and Help

Pax Prentiss, The Founder of Passages Malibu Explains Why Addiction Isn't the Problem

Pax Prentiss spent ten years addicted to heroin, cocaine, and alcohol before discovering that addiction was not the root problem—but a symptom of deeper emotional pain. Today he is the co-founder of Passages Malibu, where thousands have recovered through individualized, holistic treatment rather than traditional addiction models. Jason and Pax discuss: * Why people relapse * Childhood trauma * Depression * Anxiety * Marijuana * Ketamine * Alcohol * Parenting * Recovery * Authentic health Contact Pax for a free consultation [https://passagesmalibu.com/contact-passages]

Happy Independence Day: America is a Miracle!

Happy 250th America. I LOVE you!

Monday Morning Mentor: Digital Minimalism Update

Digital Minimalism Update: Add Friction to Break Doom-Scrolling Jason Wright shares an update on his digital minimalism effort to reduce dependence on social media and improve focus and cognitive ability, inspired by Cal Newport’s work. He deleted Instagram and YouTube from his phone (leaving them on his iPad), finding the main downside is losing easy interaction with friends via Instagram DMs, not missing the entertainment. Benefits include reading more via Apple News and books (including Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale and Dostoevsky) and feeling “down-regulated” from the urge to scroll; after reinstalling Instagram briefly for a family trip, he felt no desire to scroll and deleted it again. He compares this to quitting drinking and emphasizes environment and context. His key habit advice: add friction (small resistance) to bad habits and remove resistance to good ones. 00:00 Monday Mentor Intro 00:05 Why Digital Minimalism 01:38 Digital Diet Setup 02:30 The Biggest Con 03:33 Reading More Instead 04:22 Weekend Test Reset 06:00 YouTube Temptations 07:06 Habits And Context 09:54 Add Friction Rule 11:09 Remove Resistance To Start 13:28 Brain Wiring Takeaway 14:21 Wrap Up And Sponsor